Ketema's Notes - Church

Taking up Your Cross

angieharris312@gmail.com (Angelica Harris) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:23:45 -0500

WEEK 8, DAY 3

TAKING UP YOUR CROSS

You are to be like Jesus. He is your model of godliness, and just as He reflects the Father, you are to reflect Him. He is the ultimate example of self-sacrifice, humbling Himself to the point of death on the cross for your sins - "while you were yet a sinner." Think about what that really means. Remember all of the wickedness and sin in your life before you came to know and accept Him as your Savior. Examine your head and see all of the sin, pride, self-seeking, and wrong motives still there, even if you have been saved by His grace. When you are convicted of your own selfishness, do you justify it by saying, "Yes, Jesus died on the cross for me, but surely He wouldn't expect me to humble myself here!"? If Jesus was willing to die for you, even in your unworthiness, should it ever be too much for you to humble yourself and give up your own desires for your spouse or others?

Romans 5:6-8

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Peter 2:21-24

21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 "He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth."23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Galatians 2:20

20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 5:1-2

1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Matthew 16:24-25

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Matthew 20:26-28

26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

John 13:12-17

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Luke 6:27-36

Love for Enemies

27 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Matthew 18:1-4

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 23:12

12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

John 3:30

30 He must become greater; I must become less.

Taking up Your Cross

angieharris312@gmail.com (Angelica Harris) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:21:21 -0500

WEEK 8, DAY 2

MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY?

You don't have to control everything. The power struggles you have in your relationship with your spouse are harmful, pointless, and do not honor God. You should realize that your need to control is rooted in fear - fear that somehow your needs won't be met, or you won't be taken care of the way you want. This fear is an indicator of a far bigger problem' not trusting the One who is really in control. When you know God and believe He loves you and is always working for your good, His perfect love for you casts out your fear. Trusting God mean you can always anticipate the best outcome because you know He's in charge. Trusting God with every part of your life enables you to surrender your need to control things and gives you the security to be able to stop thinking of yourself and start focusing on living His way, laying yourself down for your spouse and others.

1 John 4:15-18

15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 A nd so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Psalm 20:6-7

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

John 10:9-11

9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Ephesians 2:4-7

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressionsit is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Psalms 25:4-5

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalms 46:10

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 37:1-7a

1 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Week 8 Day 1 - Dying To Self

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:15:37 -0500

Here's a radical statement: the majority of problems you face in your marriage come from one source - SELF (James 4:1 - 2a). You have been taught by our culture to "look out for number one", that you have rights, you deserve something, and you shouldn't have to humble yourself. If you take that attitude into your marriage, the result will be nothing but conflict. Instead, you should follow the example Jesus set for you and humble yourself, putting the needs of your spouse above your own. When you are both looking for your needs to be met by your spouse, you both lose. But when you individually go to the only Source who can truly fill you, His love, grace, forgiveness, peace, patience, mercy, etc. will overflow from you to your spouse and others around you. It seems like a contradiction, but God's way really works. When you "die to your self" and focus on serving and honoring your spouse and others, you actually gain the life you so deeply desire (Matthew 10:39).

It's Not About me!

"You are not an accident. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He wanted you alive and created you for a purpose. Focusing on yourself will never reveal your purpose. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. Only in God do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny" (Rick Warren, Starbucks Cup 2006)
God planned you for His pleasure, formed you for His family, created you to become like Him, shaped you to serve Him, and made you for His mission. The first step to "dying to self" is to understand that everything is about Him - not you.

Colossians 1:16
¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Revelation 4:11
¹¹"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being."

Ephesians 1:4-5
⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will

Romans 8:29
²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Psalm 139:13-16

¹³For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
¹⁴I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

2 Corinthians 3:18
¹⁸And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Philippians 2:5-8
⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death
even death on a cross!

Week 7, Day 2

angieharris312@gmail.com (Angelica Harris) — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 11:53:00 -0500

In the World, But not Of It

You live in the world. You can't deny it, get around it, or hide from it. You have to function day-to-day: to provide for yourself and your family, interact with the people you come in contact with, deal with the traffic and chores and long lines. God tells you in His Word that you are to be "in the world, but not of it." That means as a Christian you are supposed to be different than those who don't follow Christ. The way you do your job, raise your children, respond to people who are unpleasant, drive your car, and everything else you do should reflect Him to others. What about your marriage? Is it different than the marriages of those who are in the world?

2 Peter 1:4

4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

1 Peter 2:11

Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.

1 John 2:15-17

Do Not Love the World

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the worldthe cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and doescomes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 3:13-14

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

Philippians 3:19

19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

James 4:4-5

4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

Jude 1:17-21

A call to persevere

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

1 John 5:3-5

3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Galatians 6:14

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Week 7 Day 1 - The Two Things That Last

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:51:57 -0500

If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you will spend eternity with Him in heaven when your time on earth comes to an end. When that moment comes where you will stand face to face with God, only two things will matter: your relationship with Him and how you've shown Him to others. You need to develop "eternal perspective" in the way you look at life, so that you can live your life as God desires.

Psalm 90:12
¹² Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Colossians 3:1-2
¹Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

2 Peter 3:10-14
¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. ¹¹Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives ¹²as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. ¹³But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. ¹⁴So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

1 John 5:11-12
¹¹And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Matthew 16:26-27
²⁶What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

Philippians 1:20-21
²⁰I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 3:8-9
⁸What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

Week 7 Readings - Eternal Perspective

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:20:28 -0500

Have you figured out yet that this is not heaven? The life you live on this earth is just a drop in the ocean compared to eternity. Remembering that can often help you realize what's important and what's not and in turn give you a different perspective in your marriage. WHen you kep in mind that day when you will stand face to face with God, it will help you choose right acttions and attitudes. When you stop to consider what will really count to the Lord when this life is over, you realize that many of the things you argue and fight over with each other don't really matter after all. Your focus has to change when you start using "Kingdon Thinking". What you spend your time, your talents and your finances on will change. WHat your priorities are will change. You will start to be more concerned with what really pleases God and the others around you (especially your spouse), and your marriage relationship will grow and strengthen as a result.

What is "Kingdom Thinking"? Perhaps it is best illustrated by the way it contrasts to worldly thinking. Are you a Kingdom Thinker?

Worldly Thinkers	Kingdom Thinkers
Go by how they feel Concerned with the moment Let problems and circumstances keep them from serving God Try to work out their own solutions to problems Look at the world and become concerned & anxious "How does this affect me?"	Go by the Word of God Have "eternal perspective" Know that serving God keeps them from problems and circumstance Go to God immediately in prayer Tust God no matter what it looks like "It's not about me! It's about God's Kingdom!"

Day 5 Verses

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 10:27:35 -0500

James 3:3-12
³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt[a] water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Ephesians 5:19-20
¹⁹Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 4:29
²⁹Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Proverbs 12:14
¹⁴ From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

James 1:19
¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

Proverbs 12:18
¹⁸Reckless words pierce like a sword,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

2 Timothy 2:14
¹⁴Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

Psalm 34:12-14
¹² Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

¹³ keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

Day 4 Verses

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 08:57:48 -0500

Philippians 4:8
⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableif anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things.

Colossians 3:15-16
¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1 Corinthians 14:15
¹⁵So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

2 Peter 3:1-2
¹Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ²I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Romans 14:1,4
¹Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.
⁴Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:13
¹³Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.

Matthew 7:1-2
¹"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Romans 13:14
¹⁴Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Hebrews 3:1
¹Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Verses For Day 3

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:52:44 -0500

Luke 6:45
⁴⁵The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Galatians 5:19-21
¹⁹The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 6:8
⁸The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Isaiah 52:11
¹¹Depart, depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!
Come out from it and be pure,
you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

1 Corinthians 15:33
³³Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

2 Corinthians 6:14-17
¹⁴Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."
¹⁷"Therefore come out from them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you."

Psalm 86:11
¹¹Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

Verses for Day 2

ketema@ketema.net (Ketema J. Harris) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 06:38:26 -0500

Romans 8:5
⁵Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

2 Corinthians 10:5
⁵We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:20
²⁰Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.

Ephesians 4:17-18
¹⁷So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Romans 8:6-8
⁶The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; ⁷the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. ⁸Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

1 Peter 4:7-8
⁷The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

2 Peter 1:5-8
⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 26:2-3
² Test me, O LORD, and try me,

examine my heart and my mind;

³ for your love is ever before me,

and I walk continually in your truth.